inov-8 shoes propelling Kevin in bid to become the fastest person to run around the world

December 20, 2013

Committed athlete Kevin Carr has set himself an epic endurance challenge – to become the fastest person to run around the world.

The ultra-distance running Briton began his 18,000-mile adventure on July 28 this year, when he departed from Dartmoor, England.

Operating without a support team, Kevin is carrying all his equipment in a purpose-built trailer he designed. He is also wearing our shoes.

Here is Kevin’s latest blog, sent from Ukraine.

From Dartmoor, Devon, on the southern tip of England, to the depths of Belarus and Ukraine, inov-8 shoes have taken me every step of the way!

I’m running around the world and recently went through the 20% mark, closing in on 4000 miles.

My shoe of choice is the inov-8 F-Lite 195. It’s a minimalist shoe but there is nothing minimal about its staying power.

Sadly, when I reached the Arctic I found winter had well and truly arrived, so I put my F-Lites into hibernation where they will stay until I return to warmer climates.

For now, I’m running in the inov-8 Oroc 340 when it’s icy underfoot and the inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX on cleared roads. The Roclite 312 GTX is at its best when it’s wet and cold and it is essential to keep out the damp that saps precious body heat when running in winter.

To put this into perspective, your regular running shoe manufacturers recommend you replace your shoes every 400-600 miles as the cushioning collapses, no longer holds air and provides little shock absorption. So after 400 miles in regular shoes I end up with hip, back or knee pain, or worse, a cocktail of the above. I don’t drink a huge amount of alcohol, but I do know how to make much nicer cocktails than this!

inov-8 have always promoted natural running and this style of running lets your muscles and tendons act as the shock absorber, as nature intended. Running this way, you don’t require foam / air / gel suspension units in your shoes and don’t need to replace your shoes every 400miles.

My F-Lites weigh a barely-there 195 grammes (hence the name) and are incredibly well-built / durable! Trust me, I pushed one pair well over 2000 miles in training for my around the world challenge.

inov-8 are rightly gaining attention amongst serious runners around the globe. In Sweden, they are exploding. The inov-8 team arranged for me to have some company while running there. It was great to have such company and a real morale boost.

There are plenty more miles to go but the whole committed athlete ethos of inov-8 is running strong here!

Recently, I ran 95 miles over two days, all on snow and mostly in the dark, while at the same time battling against blizzard conditions. This wasn’t out of choice, I would have done less miles, but I had to make up the ground or face arrest for my visa expiring!

The prospect of spending a night in a soviet cell awaiting a hefty fine, and then waiting to see the consequence, wasn’t an option. Desperate times called for desperate measures – so I ran what was the equivalent of more than three-and-a-half marathons over two days without a hot meal in sight. My Roclite 312 GTX shoes carried me all the way.

PR and communications coordinator for inov-8. Based in the Lake District, England. Sky, mountain, fell and trail runner, obstacle racer, cyclist. Need to do more functional fitness WODs to build strength!

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About Inov-8

Everything inov-8 does is designed to celebrate the grit and glory of the committed athlete. We believe in natural running. Natural running involves taking running back to its most innate form, letting nothing alter the natural biomechanics of the foot and body. Natural running relies on the strength of the runner’s feet and legs rather than the cushioning or support of a shoe. The foot controls the shoe, not the other way around.